Trade Licence issued to a motor trader under Sect 11(3) Vera 1994 is to cover the use on a road where Excise Licence is not valid. Section 36 and 6th Schedule RV(Reg & Lic)Regs 2002 covers permitted uses under Trade Plate and covers In the case of any other motor trader, a trade licence is a licence for ALL VEHICLES which are from time to time temporarily in his possession in the course of his business as a motor trader.

The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002

42. (1) Where a vehicle is in use under a trade licence the general registration mark assigned to the holder of a trade licence shall be displayed on the vehicle in the manner specified in paragraph (2).

(2) The trade plates issued by the Secretary of State shall be fixed to and displayed on the vehicle in such a manner that, if the general registration mark assigned to the holder were a registration mark assigned to the vehicle, the provisions of regulations 5 and 6 of the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001(1) (the “2001 Regulations”) would be complied with, notwithstanding the vehicle may not have been first registered on or after the relevant date, as defined in regulation 2(1) of the 2001 Regulations.

Provided Trade plate displayed at front and rear of vehicle similar to normal once registered then only trade plates can be used because vehicle not yet registered. If they were displayed then Plod was wrong IMHO

...and Rob ^^^^^^^^ there are traffic officers who know most of traffic law, some less but there are NONE who know ALL of traffic law....too much some too complicated.

dvd

***UPDATE*** I have received an apology this morning from Sussex Police Chief Inspector, he has also stated that my ticket has been cancelled and the officer is being 're-educated' Glad to see common sense prevails. Thanks for all your help Darryl

Presumably, that's been initiated from their end, not as a result of your complaint ? If so, all credit to Sussex Police for acting so swiftly.

They do need to look at their "education" programmes if it's a traffic officer making that sort of mistake - an ordinary beat bobby would be more understandable but we all assume that traffic officers have specialised in traffic!

Sounds even more worrying than about twenty years ago when I was stopped for not having a tax-disc on an exempt (government owned) vehicle, copper was about to write me a ticket when I suggested to him he might want to radio for advice!

I thought that even tax-exempt vehicles had to show a VED disc - with a £0.00 amount.

I can remember getting uptight at seeing a RNLI lifeboat tractor with a VED disc until I realised the amount was £0.00.

I thought that even tax-exempt vehicles had to show a VED disc - with a £0.00 amount.

I'm not sure how it works now, but back in the day I refer to, we had pink exemption discs, which clearly stated that the vehicle was exempt, but that didn't satisfy the copper!

That's certainly my understanding too.